Automatic food cookers using solid fuels such as charcoal are known in the industry and typically include a tubular frame covered by a metal outer skin. Openings and doors are provided to provide access to the interior of the cooker. A conveyor mechanism is typically positioned within the cooker to transport food items carried by baskets through the cooker interior over the heat source. A more thorough explanation of the prior art cookers may be had by reference to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,453,457; 4,609,596; and 4,947,741 incorporated herein by reference. When using a cooker of the type described in the incorporated patents it is often necessary to raise a few of the side wall panels of the cooker to create a draft within the cooker housing to cause the solid fuel to burn better.
A problem however exists with the prior art cookers. During days of high humidity or rain little wind blows, therefore, it is difficult to achieve a proper draft through the cooker. This causes the fuel source to burn cooler and less efficiently requiring longer cooking time for the food product.